Paul Jones honoured for his outstanding contribution to journalism training

The NCTJ Awards for Excellence in Journalism 2016. The Royal Navy Submarine Museum, Gosport, Hampshire. Paul Jones receives the Chairman's award from Kim Fletcher.

Paul Jones, head of diploma training at PA Training, was honoured with the Chairman’s Award at the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) annual awards ceremony on 24 November.

Paul was recognised for his outstanding contribution to journalism training and education.

Presenting the award, NCTJ chairman Kim Fletcher praised Paul as “a very special person who is a first-class trainer who has made an enormous contribution to journalism training over many years.”

He added, “Paul Jones has trained and inspired more than 2,000 trainees over the last 20 years at the training centre in Newcastle. [He] has been constant and steadfast in his best-practice approach to training and his insistence on high journalistic standards.”

Paul has run the PA Training centre in Newcastle since leaving the news desk of the Evening Chronicle 20 years ago.

Under his leadership the Newcastle course has won several national awards and trainees from Newcastle have gone on to claim some of the highest profile media jobs in the industry. Notable course alumni include Lionel Barber, Andrew Marr, Sally Magnusson and Jim Naughtie.

Following the closure of the Newcastle training centre in December, Paul will continue to deliver journalism training as the lead for PA’s partnership with Newcastle University and their MA in International Multimedia Journalism.